Welcome to Week 3, the most difficult week of the young fantasy football season when it comes to matchups.
There’s nothing better than when a stud quarterback or running back has a good matchup. They are an instant start in your lineup. But that’s not the case this week, as we have to play some players that will make us a little uncomfortable.That said, I found some plays that will help everyone make some money. Good luck this week—we all will need it. As usual, all pricing listed comes from DraftKings.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders @ Washington Redskins ($6,800): Washington’s pass defense gave up 307 passing yards and two touchdowns to Carson Wentz in Week 1. Carr should have no problem against the Redskins’ secondary on Sunday night. Whoever Josh Norman is shadowing between Amari Cooper ($7,100) and Michael Crabtree ($7,400), you play the opposite wide receiver. Jared Cook ($3,100) at tight end is a great stack to pair with Carr, Washington has a tough time covering tight ends and Cook is way too cheap.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions ($6,200): This game will be one of the highest-scoring games of the week. Stafford has six touchdowns in the first two weeks and the weakness in the Falcons defense is the secondary. It helps that the Lions can’t run the ball and they will use short passes to the running backs to move the ball. Golden Tate ($6,900) is the perfect stack with Stafford this week.
Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants ($5,900): In his first two games, Wentz has thrown for over 300 yards and has two touchdowns in both games. He’s a good athlete who will pick you up a handful of points with his legs—he had 55 rushing yards in Week 2. If you choose to play Wentz you have two stackable options this week, Alshon Jeffrey ($5,900) or Zach Ertz ($5,000). Both will receive double-digit targets and have good price tags.
If the New York Giants top cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, is out for this game, I might double stack Wentz with Jeffrey and Ertz. All three should be low owned and most of Wentz’s targets will go to those two. The Eagles will have a hard time running against the Giants front seven and that should result in over 30 pass attempts for Wentz in Week 3.
Running Backs
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers ($8,000): Kareem Hunt has the most yards from scrimmage in a rookie’s first two games (355) than any other player in NFL history. What I like most about Hunt is how often he is being targeted in the passing game. He has eight receptions in the first two games and he has big-play potential every time he touches the ball.
The Los Angeles Chargers have allowed 120 rushing yards per game and with Hunt’s workload, he should have no problem getting there. When I pay up for running backs I want them in a good matchup where they will dominate the touches in the backfield. He has both going for him in Week 3.
Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions vs Atlanta Falcons (5,100): The Atlanta Falcons have a hard time covering running backs who catch the ball out of the backfield. Ty Montgomery had six receptions for 75 yards and scored a touchdown last week, Riddick can put up similar numbers. He is in a time share at running back and that will reduce his ownership percentage. Riddick is a good under the radar pick in Week 3.
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans vs Seattle Seahawks ($5,300): The Seattle Seahawks run defense hasn’t been very good in the first two weeks. Last week, Carlos Hyde ran for 124 yards against them and Henry will get a big workload this week. DeMarco Murray’s hamstring can act up at any point and I am thinking that they will hold him out this week.
Henry has top three running back upside and this matchup doesn’t scare me. He is a physical runner who will punish that front seven and tire them out. If Tennessee has success on offense it will be because of the running game. Don’t let this matchup scare you, Henry is matchup proof when given the workload.
Wide Receiver
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers ($7,200)/Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins ($6,800): One of these two if not both need to be in your lineup every week. In Landry’s first game with Jay Cutler he was targeted on 45.5 percent of his routes (15 targets) and had 13 receptions. Allen had nine receptions on 10 targets and is Phillip Rivers go-to guy on every drive. Both have great upside and if they can find the end zone they have a chance to be the highest scoring receivers of the week
Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans ($6,400): Seattle has been awful in the passing game but this will be their breakout game. The Tennessee Titans secondary is not good and Baldwin will have a field day if Russell Wilson can get time to throw the ball. With Jimmy Graham banged up, this will only open more targets for Baldwin this week. He has a solid floor with top five upside this week against the Titans.
Rashard Higgins, Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts ($4,000): Higgins came out of nowhere last week with 11 targets and he played 76 percent of the offensive snaps. The Colts defense is bad and Higgins should have no problem putting up similar numbers to what he had in Week 2 (seven receptions, 95 yards). This game can be a high-scoring game and it would be smart to grab some players from this contest, starting with Higgins.
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants ($5,000): You know the New York Giants can’t stop tight ends when Eric Ebron scores a touchdown against them. Ertz is Carson Wentz’s go-to target and the Giants, over the past two seasons, have had a tough time stopping tight ends. He is averaging 16 DraftKings points a game and at $5,000 that is a great way to start your lineup.
Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers ($3,900): Now that the Chargers got Antonio Gates touchdown No. 112 to pass Tony Gonzalez for the all-time tight end touchdown record, Henry will be the main guy at tight end. With Eric Berry out for the year, the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled to defend tight ends. His price tag is good and remember, he led all tight ends in touchdowns in 2016. Touchdowns help win you money in DFS.
Defenses
Philadelphia Eagles ($3,000) vs. New York Giants: This is the only defense that I will be playing. I don’t want to spend up for a D this week and the Eagles defense is the third-highest scoring on the slate (not including the Ravens and Jaguars). The Giants offensive line is a mess and the Eagles front seven may be the best in the league. Lots of sacks and turnovers for the Eagles D this week.
